New Housing Initiative in Indianapolis Aims to Combat Homelessness and Provide Support Services

INDIANAPOLIS — Housing advocates in Indianapolis are set to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of a new Permanent Supportive Housing project, Compass on Washington, located just east of downtown. This initiative is a collaboration between Horizon House, the Englewood Community Development Corporation, and local developers, aimed at making significant strides in combating homelessness.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines Permanent Supportive Housing as a model that combines housing with social support services for households struggling to achieve stability.

Compass on Washington features 36 fully furnished one-bedroom apartments. Residents will have access to various social services provided by Horizon House, which has been instrumental in connecting individuals with necessary resources. The project secured funding through low-income housing tax credits from the Indiana Housing Authority and several other grants.

“We’re excited about it being a one project,” said CEO Teresa Wessel. “We can do art therapy, yoga — we have the Bookmobile. We’re really trying to wrap all the services around the tenants that are gonna be living here.”

Groundbreaking for this project occurred in November 2022, with Englewood CDC managing the property.

“This fits in with the work that we’ve done; we can’t be more excited to watch residents move in,” expressed Executive Director Joe Bowling. “We feel like we’ve got a great building loaded with amenities, inside and out. [It’s a] great location.”

The apartments are already allocated to individuals identified through Horizon House's outreach services.

The building boasts numerous amenities typical of modern developments, including a dog park, in-unit laundry facilities, and a community room.

“We’re really excited to offer furnishings that are new and comfortable,” stated Lillian Herbers-Kelly, Director of Housing at Horizon House. “There’s a lot of storage opportunity in here as well … We’re very excited to be able to offer that as people move in and get comfortable and make this place home.”

The goal is for residents to begin moving into their new homes sometime next week.